2024 May | Sai Zhou, Xiaoxiang Gao, Geonho Park, Xinyi Yang, Baiyan Qi, Muyang Lin, Hao Huang, Yizhou Bian, Hongjie Hu, Xiangjun Chen, Ray S. Wu, Boyu Liu, Wentong Yue, Chengchangfeng Lu, Ruotao Wang, Pranavi Bheemreddy, Siyu Qin, Arthur Lam, Keith A. Wear, Michael Andre, Erik B. Kistler, David W. Newell, Sheng Xu
A conformal ultrasound patch was developed for hands-free, continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow. This device uses 2 MHz ultrasound waves to reduce skull-induced signal attenuation and phase aberration, and a copper mesh shielding layer improves the signal-to-noise ratio by 5 dB. Ultrafast ultrasound imaging allows accurate 3D rendering of the circle of Willis and continuous recording of blood flow spectra at selected locations. The patch was validated against a conventional TCD probe on 36 participants, showing a mean difference of -1.51 ± 4.34 cm/s for peak systolic velocity, -0.84 ± 3.06 cm/s for mean flow velocity, and -0.50 ± 2.55 cm/s for end diastolic velocity. The measurement success rate was 70.6%, compared to 75.3% for the conventional TCD probe. The patch enables continuous monitoring during various interventions and identifies intracranial B waves during drowsiness within 4 hours of recording.
The device uses a 16×16 matrix array with a 750-μm pitch and 2-MHz center frequency to minimize acoustic attenuation and phase aberration. A copper mesh shielding layer and ultrafast imaging technique improve signal-to-noise ratio and allow volumetric imaging of the entire arterial network. The device is 1.3 mm thick, 20 mm wide, and 28 mm long, with a total weight of 0.945 g. It has a maximum ultrasound intensity of 0.7 mechanical index and 370 mW cm⁻² spatial peak temporal average intensity, well below FDA recommended levels.
The patch enables volumetric ultrafast imaging with diverging waves for wide ultrasound fields and focused waves for local blood flow monitoring. It was used to measure blood flow in different arterial segments during a carotid compression test, identifying changes in flow velocity. The patch also recorded blood flow during various scenarios, including handgrip, Valsalva maneuver, word generation, and visual stimulation, showing similar trends to conventional TCD probes.
The patch was validated against a conventional TCD probe, showing good agreement with a squared correlation coefficient exceeding 0.9 for all velocity parameters and indices. It allows hands-free, wearable measurements, making it suitable for prolonged surveillance. The patch can detect intracranial B waves during sleep and monitor cerebral emboli, potentially enabling early detection of major neurological pathologies.
The device has a soft 2D matrix array for volumetric imaging and electronically locating target arterial segments. It minimizes operator dependency and enhances motion tolerance compared to conventional TCD probes. The patch was preferred by 69.4% of participants for its comfort. Future improvements include enhancing spatial resolution with contrast agents and improving volumetric reconstruction speed for real-time imaging. The patch can also be used to study complex haemodynamicsA conformal ultrasound patch was developed for hands-free, continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow. This device uses 2 MHz ultrasound waves to reduce skull-induced signal attenuation and phase aberration, and a copper mesh shielding layer improves the signal-to-noise ratio by 5 dB. Ultrafast ultrasound imaging allows accurate 3D rendering of the circle of Willis and continuous recording of blood flow spectra at selected locations. The patch was validated against a conventional TCD probe on 36 participants, showing a mean difference of -1.51 ± 4.34 cm/s for peak systolic velocity, -0.84 ± 3.06 cm/s for mean flow velocity, and -0.50 ± 2.55 cm/s for end diastolic velocity. The measurement success rate was 70.6%, compared to 75.3% for the conventional TCD probe. The patch enables continuous monitoring during various interventions and identifies intracranial B waves during drowsiness within 4 hours of recording.
The device uses a 16×16 matrix array with a 750-μm pitch and 2-MHz center frequency to minimize acoustic attenuation and phase aberration. A copper mesh shielding layer and ultrafast imaging technique improve signal-to-noise ratio and allow volumetric imaging of the entire arterial network. The device is 1.3 mm thick, 20 mm wide, and 28 mm long, with a total weight of 0.945 g. It has a maximum ultrasound intensity of 0.7 mechanical index and 370 mW cm⁻² spatial peak temporal average intensity, well below FDA recommended levels.
The patch enables volumetric ultrafast imaging with diverging waves for wide ultrasound fields and focused waves for local blood flow monitoring. It was used to measure blood flow in different arterial segments during a carotid compression test, identifying changes in flow velocity. The patch also recorded blood flow during various scenarios, including handgrip, Valsalva maneuver, word generation, and visual stimulation, showing similar trends to conventional TCD probes.
The patch was validated against a conventional TCD probe, showing good agreement with a squared correlation coefficient exceeding 0.9 for all velocity parameters and indices. It allows hands-free, wearable measurements, making it suitable for prolonged surveillance. The patch can detect intracranial B waves during sleep and monitor cerebral emboli, potentially enabling early detection of major neurological pathologies.
The device has a soft 2D matrix array for volumetric imaging and electronically locating target arterial segments. It minimizes operator dependency and enhances motion tolerance compared to conventional TCD probes. The patch was preferred by 69.4% of participants for its comfort. Future improvements include enhancing spatial resolution with contrast agents and improving volumetric reconstruction speed for real-time imaging. The patch can also be used to study complex haemodynamics